Chapter 39 (Please Teach Me Tutor)
Episode 39: Sword Master – Thousand Stream Sword
<Kim Si-woo’s POV>
Geom-seong.
The leader of the Twilight Guild, and one of the top five strongest men in Korea in terms of sheer force.
An absolute powerhouse with a record of breaking through countless gates on his own, and the hunter who made the greatest achievement in the war against the villains who burned down Chuncheon.
He was also one of the few who stood with me to break the bad habits of the existing guilds.
An S-rank hunter who is over 70 years old but still active in eliminating monsters and villains.
A man like that was pouring tea in front of me.
“It’s Honghwa tea. It’s a tea made from dried safflowers that only bloom in Class A dungeons. It’s said to be effective in recovering from fatigue and improving aging.”
“Thank you.”
I took the teacup he offered me.
A heavy silence followed.
“You sold my number. To a loan shark at that.”
Hurrup.
“There were unavoidable circumstances.”
“Are you thinking of returning to the Hunter world? If you cause trouble now, Daesung will come after you. You know that they are vicious.”
Along with senior Bong-sik, he was one of the few people who knew that Kim Si-woo was the Shadow Mask.
“I have no intention of going back. I will never do hunter work. I’ve been through so much at the hands of those guys. I won’t go back even if it’s dirty.”
“Really? Then why did you sell my name? Why did you beat up those loan sharks?”
“Did you see it?”
“The moment you called me, I sent my guild members. They were already sorted out when I got there. I told my guild members to take those guys to the hospital. I even gave them a simple order to keep their mouths shut.”
“You gave them a hard time.”
“That’s not even a job. But you know. How on earth did you end up getting involved with that kid?”
When he says that child, he means Yu Ah-ra.
It wouldn’t have been difficult for the Twilight Guild to get that much information from a loan shark.
“I’m just helping out, because the circumstances were dire.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful. Several guilds are after that kid.”
“Of course. She proved herself in the second exam.”
“You turned a repeat student into a star overnight… What a waste of talent.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hahaha! Sorry. I’m old and I made a slip of the tongue.”
Hurup.
The safflower tea was bitter.
They say good medicine tastes bitter.
I frowned at the unpleasant taste that lingered in my mouth.
“But why did you call me? I don’t think you called me to talk about this.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Is this a reward for your hard work?”
“Yes.”
“Go ahead. But I can’t do the actual work.”
“I know. Those guys are acting almost obsessed with you.”
The Sword saint who was laughing loudly took out an object that was placed under the table.
“What is this?”
“This is my request.”
“Are you asking me to make a delivery?”
“I heard that you worked as an appraiser. And that you were the best in South Korea.”
“Rumors spread quickly.”
“This is a small market, my friend.”
Inside the box that Geom-seong opened, there was a neatly folded fan made of jade.
“Debt…… Yes.”
“That’s right. Please confirm if this is genuine.”
The face of the speaking sword saint hardened coldly.
It was the same for me.
I knew very well that the jade fan meant a lot to the black sword.
I heard that Geom-seong, who is over 70 this year, had a granddaughter. In this damned world where gates open and monsters pour out, Geom-seong, who is a power user, also lost his family.
His son’s family died, and his granddaughter was the only one who survived.
She was nicknamed “Pachosun” because she carried a fan made of jade and used wind magic, and she was Geom-seong’s reliable partner.
And 4 years ago, she, who was an S-class hunter, disappeared in a dungeon.
Since then, there has been no news for 4 years.
There were rumors that she was dead, and Geom-seong believed that she would return. However, she did not return, and only the item was left in the world.
This meant only one thing. If the owner of this item, the Pachosun herself, then she died in the dungeon.
“Who brought this?”
“It was brought from Daeseong. The words he said when he handed me this fan were even more shocking. He said not to go near Daeseong’s dungeons in the future. He said that if I fell for Daeseong, he would punish me in the same way.”
“Did you just leave him alone?”
“Haha, would I have done that? I half-killed the guy who brought this fan.”
I should have just killed him.
Geom-seong repeated in a low voice, gritting his teeth.
“I want to know if this debt belongs to my granddaughter. I think you can find out.”
“What are you going to do if this is true?”
“What do you plan on doing? We’ll go to war with Daesung.”
“……I understand.”
I held the jade fan in my hand.
Its heavy weight felt in my hand.
I opened and closed the fan, examining it carefully here and there.
The silence was heavy, and the gazes that glared at me were full of heat.
After fiddling with the fan for a while, I looked at the status window that appeared before my eyes.
[Oksen (玉扇) – Expected Grade B]
[Holds the power of the wind.]
[If the wearer has a wind skill, the skill effect increases by 3 times.]
[Abnormal Status: Fake (Replica)]
It’s fake.
This jade ship was not from the Pachosun.
“It’s a forgery.”
“Fake?”
“Yes.”
“Huh… If that’s what you’re saying, then that must be it.”
The sword swept across his chest.
“Did those damned bastards think I wasn’t capable of figuring it out?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t know it was a fake.”
“Hmm, maybe.”
“But if this fake was made by Daesung, there’s a chance they have a clue to the real thing.”
“If they did, they’d be proud to say it. They’d be the ones to say it. That’s what they are.”
“You’re right.”
A moment of silence.
It was the deep silence of a grandfather worried about his granddaughter.
“In the end, does this mean that we can’t know whether my granddaughter is alive or not?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Tsk…”
“First of all, if it’s not an unreasonable request, I think it would be best to do as Daesung says. There’s no need to show them the sword saint’s card.”
“I’d like to overthrow them right away, but if I do, all the guild members will have to risk their lives. For now, we need to pretend to follow them and check if they have the real thing.”
Geom-seong let out a deep sigh and looked at me.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I won’t be dragged around like this.”
“No. We help each other out.”
But that’s it.
“If you are truly grateful, I would like you to grant me a favor.”
“Tell me. I will grant you anything.”
“I need a training manual for the vanguard, a swordsmanship manual that you personally created.”
A swordsmanship manual for the vanguard, made by Geom-seong. It was a textbook that Lee Hye-ri, who had to tank without a shield, needed.
Geom-seong had skills that no one could keep up with in close combat. The essence of all his know-how and training methods.
That’s what I wanted.
That’s why I told them about the Black Star’s phone.
It was all intentional.
I figured that if some cocky thug called, Black Star would know that I did and would naturally call me,
since I was one of the four people who had his number.
‘I never thought I would be assessing my granddaughter’s debt.’
It’s a beggar with a little bit of lucky punch. Thanks to that, I have the right to demand the secret of the sword sooner than expected.
It doesn’t matter if I don’t give it to you now.
I’ll just make you give it to me next time.
“Heh heh, you want this old man’s swordsmanship manual?”
“Yes.”
“It’s expensive for an appraisal.”
“It’s no different from telling you whether your granddaughter is alive or not.”
“Isn’t it still not certain?”
“If I weren’t here, you would have thought she was dead by now.”
“You’re not wrong……”
“If you give me the textbook, I’ll appraise Okseon for free.”
“…… One more thing, if you find a clue to my granddaughter’s survival, promise me that you’ll help me go to the dungeon.”
“Are you serious? You wouldn’t be sitting still in Daeseung, would you?”
“If those guys start causing trouble, I’ll stop them.”
“…… Understood.”
The swordsmanship textbook of the swordsman was worth that much. For me, who teaches private lessons, there is no better textbook than this.
“Just wait a moment. I’ll bring it myself.”
“Okay.”
And as promised, Geom-seong handed me his swordsmanship manual.
“There are only five copies in the world. I am giving you the third copy.”
“It is an honor.”
“Use it well. Don’t misuse it.”
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ll use it better than anyone else.”
“If you need help, just contact me.”
After greeting Geom-seong, I stood up from my seat.
My business is over now.
I should go do my work.
“Okay, that’s it.”
***
[Thousand Stream Sword Techniques]
A swordsmanship that contains the doctrine of utilizing a thousand flows.
It is a swordsmanship that utilizes smoothness and speed, and I thought it would suit Lee Hye-ri the best.
Originally, I was planning to go to Geom-seong when Lee Hye-ri’s stamina increased enough.
‘It’s a phone call.’
I got the swordsmanship manual from him faster than I expected.
I heard that Geom-seong was a swordsman, who had been teaching swordsmanship before the gate opened.
I also heard that the body of a warrior who had been training in swordsmanship had awakened and that he had been fighting absurdly with a sword.
This swordsmanship textbook, [Thousand Stream Sword Technique], is what he wrote down about his enlightenment and know-how.
‘I found the treasure.’
His obsession with his granddaughter, his only blood relative, gave me an opportunity.
I quietly opened the book.
-If you can read the flow, the flow of attack and defense, you can play your role in any battle.
It was a concept-like introduction to Thousand Stream Sword Technique, which pursues wave-like swordsmanship.
I quietly read the textbook of the Thousand Stream Sword Technique. Most of it was about the basics of swordsmanship.
How to fight, what movements are effective for avoiding and countering enemy attacks.
I thought I knew why Geom-seong readily agreed to give it to me.
‘If you don’t know the secrets of the Thousand Stream Sword Technique, it’s just a book.’
But this was enough for me. I didn’t expect Lee Hye-ri to have a deep understanding of the Thousand Stream Sword Technique.
For an evasion tank who had to steal the enemy’s attention with appropriate attacks and evasions and take all of their attacks, nothing suited her better than the basics of the Thousand Stream Sword Technique.
For Lee Hye-ri, who has strong dealer characteristics, this swordsmanship doctrine will give her many realizations.
It means that a tank is not someone who simply draws aggro by dealing damage.
‘To tell her properly…’
I guess I should start by learning properly. It seems like there’s one more thing I need to study.
shit.
Woohoo!
Another text came, but I didn’t bother to check it. It was probably Lee Hye-ri who sent it anyway.
I could just check it on the day I was tutoring.
Now it was more important to learn about the Thousand Stream Sword Technique.
***
<Lee Hye-ri’s POV>
“Wow, really…….”
Lee Hye-ri ground her teeth.
The expensive private tutor had no intention of reading her texts.
“Do you want to try this with me?”
The competitive spirit that had been dormant in Lee Hye-ri’s heart began to boil over.
“Just wait and see. I will definitely succeed and show you my pride!”
Lee Hye-ri clenched her fist tightly.
T.N.
The leader of Twilight guilds name is Geom-seong. His world literally means Sword Saint. Meanwhile, at various part of raw (google translation) terms like blacksmith and Black Star had been popping up. So, I have used Black Star, Geom-seong and Sword Saint as it deemed fit.
Geom- sword
Seong- saint or sage